How to convert a scrlttr2 letter to scrletter?

Question

I'm asking how to switch to scrletter, when you were using scrlttr2 before, because it has been suggested for me. I'd like to use the document class scrartcl, in case that matters.

I know there is the huge doc about scrguien, but I do want a quick summary of how to switch it and the main pitfalls.

See also: What is the difference between scrletter and scrlttr2?. I've split the questions, because although they are related, they are different questions.

Example

My question is mainly about some options scrlttr2 had and scrletter does not have. So e.g.:

\documentclass[
fontsize=12pt,
DIN5008A, % load up-to-date DIN if it exists (TODO: or DIN5008B???)
sender,
paper=a4,
version=last,
fontsize=11pt,
DIV=13,
backaddress=false,
firstfoot=true,
enlargefirstpage=true,
% fromalign=false,
version=last,
parskip=full,
BCOR=0mm]{scrlttr2}

When I just change it and take all options to scrletter many of them are not recognized…

some of those options are standard koma class options parskip=full for example so you would pass them to srartcl not to scletter, but always if you want help with an error, provide a complete small document that produces the error and state the exact error message from the log. . Don't expect people to guess what error you had, — David Carlisle, Jan 08 '21 at 22:55
Yeah, I rather though/wanted this to be a gereric question/answer, so people can find/use it when they have the general question of how to switch the styles, what problems they may face and need to overcome etc. — rugk, Jan 08 '21 at 22:58
I don't think there is a general thing, the basic structure is the same you may have a few things different, but you presumably want some things different as otherwise why do the (presumably rather rare) thing of changing a letter from a custom letter class to a standard document class plus an add-on package? — David Carlisle, Jan 08 '21 at 23:04
Yeah, as in my case (linked at the beginning) you may need to add a new feature (headings) that scrlttr2 cannot provide. Also scrletter is more modern and flexible, so you may also switch to this as a maintainance task to ease future changes in the design etc. — rugk, Jan 08 '21 at 23:07

esdd · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-12T10:38:31.453

With package scrletter¹ Letter Option files (lco files) can not be loaded as package or global options. You have to use \LoadLetterOption or \LoadLetterOptions for them:

\usepackage{scrletter}
\LoadLetterOption{DIN5008A}

or if sender is a lco file too:

\usepackage{scrletter}
\LoadLetterOptions{DIN5008A,sender}

The KOMA-Script options fontsize=11pt,DIV=13,BCOR=0pt,version=last,parskip=full² can be set as class options by scrartcl or by one of the macros \KOMAoption or \KOMAoptions.

The letter options backaddress=full,firstfoot=true,enlargefirstpage=true can be set as global options by the class or as package options by scrletter.

Additional remarks:

¹ There is also an undocumented wrapper-class scrletter. It loads class scrartcl with font size 12pt and package scrletter. With this class lco files can not be loaded as class options. You have to use \LoadLetterOption or \LoadLetterOptions.

² Additional remark: BCOR=0pt and version=last are default for all KOMA-Script classes. fontsize=11pt is default with scrartcl, scrreprt and scrbook.

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 08 '21 at 22:35

If I take the example from the scrlttr2 documentation

\documentclass[version=last]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[british]{babel}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{%
Joanna Public\\1 Hillside\\SAMPLESTEAD\\WX12 3YZ%
}
\opening{Dear Madam Chair,}
Zzzz zzz zzz.
\end{letter}
\end{document}

and just do the things you state in the question, change the class to scrartcl and add the scrletter package, then it works without error.

\documentclass[version=last]{scrartcl}
\usepackage{scrletter}
\usepackage[british]{babel}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{%
Joanna Public\\1 Hillside\\SAMPLESTEAD\\WX12 3YZ%
}
\opening{Dear Madam Chair,}
Zzzz zzz zzz.
\end{letter}
\end{document}

My question is mainly about some options scrlttr2 had and scrletter does not have. I'm sorry, I'll add a example. — rugk, Jan 08 '21 at 22:50

How to convert a scrlttr2 letter to scrletter?

Example

2 Answers2